Remember Me?
by daisygirl101
Summary: "If she's asking for you, Frank, you need to go rescue her." After Nancy's case takes a turn for the worst, she can't remember any of her leads- or anything else. Only one name remains in her memory- Frank Hardy. Now it's up to him to solve her case and remember who she is.
1. Chapter 1

Ta-dah! First chapter story for these two!

I've been dying to get this idea down onto paper, but it just didn't click until these two came along (:

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew © Simon & Schuster

* * *

 _Stomp. Stomp. Stomp._

Nancy Drew couldn't find her breath. She kept running through the quickening storm. She was certain someone was after her. And with her decision to walk to the bar and leave her car behind, she was only on foot now.

 _Splash._

Nancy ran through the puddles and soaked her jeans and flats. The rain was flattening out her hair and making her shiver, despite the way her blood was pumping furiously. She just had a bad feeling about this. When there were four large, terrible men out to get a smaller woman, the outcome never seemed to be pretty.

 _Bang!_

Nancy gasped as a gunshot went off in the distance. Her mouth fell open as she ducked into an alley. She pressed herself into the frozen bricks to try and camouflage. She hoped it was working.

 _Tip. Tap. Tip. Tap._

Nancy already knew it was too late before she turned around to face the footsteps.

 _Smash!_

Everything went black.

* * *

"Would you quit breathing down my neck?"

"I would if you'd share the screen, you big headed nerd!" Joe replied, trying to look over at his brother's laptop. The two of them had been working a case for the last two days. It had been a smaller one. A woman's purse had been stolen from her in a grocery store parking lot just three days ago. The Hardy boys had been tracking the thief for two days and were almost confident they'd found him on security camera footage.

"Joe, take it easy. Go get a soda or something," Frank told his little brother. Joe sighed, muttered some sly remarks, and left the room.

Frank ran a hand through his hair and looked over the footage once again. The figure looked identical to Bayport High's linebacker, Ryan Hurlston. Frank has always suspected the guy was trouble, especially when Callie decided to go for him instead of Frank and his unsteady life. Now he had proof.

Frank's phone rang just to his right. It was a number he didn't recognize. "Who's calling?" Joe asked as he walked back in with a can of soda.

"Don't know. I don't know the number. It's from the Chicago area I think," Frank said as he mulled over the 630 number.

"Pick it up. Maybe it's a case." Frank decided to follow Joe's advice and pick up the phone. He answered the phone and placed it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi, I'm looking for a Frank Hardy?" a concerned male voice asked.

"That's me. What can I help you with?" Frank asked politely. Joe leaned in to try and listen, but Frank kept leaning away. After all, if the message had been for both of them, they would've received an email.

"Thank goodness. Do you have any friends in the Chicago area?"

"I have a few friends in River Heights," Frank replied curiously and thought of the red headed detective. Joe was definitely intrigued now.

"Okay. This is the Chicago Hospital. We admitted a woman very early this morning. She has no ID and no phone. She's been hurt badly. She comes in and out of consciousness often and doesn't remember a thing, not even her name. But when she's asleep, she's calling for you. I was hoping you were a boyfriend or a family member...?" the man trailed off. Frank's heart plummeted. He swallowed hard before asking the next question.

"This woman...can you describe her to me?" Joe raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, sure. She's quite pretty. Reddish hair, big blue eyes, fair skin, and is about 5'7." Frank couldn't think straight. His mouth went dry right after her name came off of his lips.

"Nancy..."

"Pardon?" the hospital worker asked. Frank shook his head.

"Her name is Nancy. Nancy Drew." At this, Joe impatiently shoved Frank. He was best friends with Nancy too, gosh dang it.

"Nancy Drew? As in Detective Nancy Drew? That would make sense why she's been asking for her detective friends I suppose," the man trailed off, referring to the Hardy boys. "I had to spend hours online to find you.

"Now, I want to explain why I've called you. Nancy has what we believe to be amnesia. This means her memories are not entirely gone. It's like having the path between her long-term memory and her brain broken in her head. We need someone who can act as a support to Nancy. Someone who can bring her some personal items maybe and watch out for her. Since she's been calling for you, we were hoping to ask you...?"

"Yes. Absolutely. I'll be there as soon as possible," Frank said as he looked at the clock next to the picture of Nancy and the Hardy boys.

"Excellent. Please come and check in with us when you arrive. We look forward to seeing you, Mr. Hardy. Goodbye," the man said before hanging up the phone. Frank tossed his phone down onto his bed and sighed. He ran his hands through his hair. Joe's expression fell into worry.

"Frank..."

"Nancy. It's Nancy. She's hurt," Frank worried.

"What? What happened?"

"She has amnesia. She can't remember anything. They said she's been...asking for me in her sleep," Frank confessed. He sighed heavily again. "She's at Chicago Hospital. They don't know what happened, but they think I might be able to help her recover her memory." Joe watched Frank try to collect his thoughts and plan his next move. He'd never seen his sibling so fidgety.

"Okay, Frank. Take it easy. You're going to catch the next flight to Chicago. I'll call Bess and explain what's going on. She's the only person I have any contact information on in River Heights. Then I'll try and get ahold of Carson. He needs to know what's going on. You just focus on getting to Nancy. I'll be there tomorrow after I wrap this case," Joe said. Frank nodded and swallowed hard.

"It's been so long since I've seen her… what about Ned? Why didn't she ask for him?" Joe held his breath. Nancy had been hesitant about telling Frank about Ned. They had broken up six months ago due to distance and the drifting apart it had caused. She didn't want to cause any discomfort between the two of them due to their past "history". Frank harbored major feelings for Nancy, and Joe and Nancy knew it. Joe knew Nancy would bring up her relationship status to Frank when she was ready.

"I think for now the only person you need to focus on is Nancy. She needs you, Frank," Joe said as he placed his hands on his older brother's shoulders. "Go save her."

* * *

"Well, the key is hidden under the rock by the door. Nancy always hated how I did that," Carson told Frank over the phone. "Whatever you think will help from the house, please take it with you. I went to see her this morning. She's…different. Just be ready for that, kiddo. I won't be able to stop by tomorrow because of this disaster of a case I'm tangled up in. I already foresee a multiple day trial coming. Oh, and feel free to leave your things in the guest room. And make yourself at home while I'm gone. You're family too, Frank," Carson carried on as Frank hauled his bag through the airport.

"I will. Thank you, Mr. Drew. I can't tell you how eager I am to see her again," Frank told him as he searched for his cab.

"Oh please Frank, call me Carson. If there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to call. I'll be home later tonight. I'll check in with you then. And thank you for dropping everything for Nancy. I'm sure you and your brother were busy when the call came in."

"No thanks needed, Mr. Dre- Carson. I know she'd do the same for me. I'll talk to you tonight."

"Alright Frank. I'll see you later. Goodbye." Frank slipped his phone into his pocket and took a deep breath. He approached the cab waiting for him along the curb and opened the back door.

"How's it going?" the cabbie asked.

"Oh, I'm alright. Could you take me to 215 Appledale Dr., River Heights?" Frank asked as he tried to get comfortable in the cab.

"You got it, pal." Frank leaned his head back against the seat. Despite talking to Nancy often over the phone or via texting, he hadn't seen her since… Egypt. Since he had held her close and kissed her and called her his wife. It had been the most magical cause he'd ever taken. That night on the balcony had felt like a dream.

A whole year had gone by since Egypt, but it had felt like a decade. He still loved Nancy, and there was no hesitation about that. But Frank also knew this was a major time of healing for Nancy. What would she say when he saw her again? She couldn't remember anything… where to start?

Well, there was one thing she remembered- him. Frank began to wonder what made him stick out in her mind so much. And she had remembered his name, but what else did she remember about him, if anything? Would she recognize him?

The cab pulled up to the house he hadn't seen in a long while. Frank thanked the cabbie and paid him before gathering his luggage and stepping out of the cab. As the cab drove off, Frank gave a heavy sigh.

This was not going to be an easy journey, but for Nancy, he'd take on the world.


	2. Chapter 2

So this little project here involves stories from both the games _and_ the books. Hopefully I don't spoil too much for anyone who's behind!

* * *

Frank stepped into the house he had almost long forgotten. Instantly it smelt like her. The house was pristinely kept- not a book or paper out of place. _Hannah must be out of town,_ Frank thought as he headed for the stairs to tuck his bags away. As he carried his luggage up the stairs, his eyes fell on several family portraits. There was one in particular he liked- a 12-year-old Nancy Drew stood proudly next to Hannah and Carson holding a massive pumpkin. The leaves in the background of the photo explained that it had been Fall, and the witch on Nancy's shirt explained that Halloween had been right around the corner at the time. He grabbed the photo from the wall and decided to bring it to Nancy later.

Frank hauled his luggage into his room and set it by the bed. He wandered down the hall to Nancy's room.

Once he opened the door and stepped inside, it was as if he had taken a step into her mind. The walls were bright yellow and the furniture was white, creating a cheery effect in the room. On the left, the closet door was closed, but the shelf of her knick-knacks was on full display. Each little piece had come from a previous case. Frank skimmed carefully, trying to pick an artifact to bring to her. He eventually picked up a green tiki mask, recounting their time together in Hawaii.

As Frank searched the rest of the room, he felt as if he was learning more than he'd ever known about Nancy. He'd never examined her room so closely. He looked to where the picture of Ned normally was, but instead it had been placed face down. Frank walked over and set it back up. "Another familiar face will be good for her when she comes home," he muttered aloud.

That had been another thought harboring in his mind. Nancy had reached out for him, not Ned. Where was Ned in all of this? Why hadn't he been invited to stay at the Drew residence instead of Frank?

Frank had always had a bitter taste in his mouth when the subject of Ned came up. Frank saw himself as a good guy, one who wouldn't step on Nancy's timeless relationship with Ned Nickerson. He'd almost slipped multiple times in putting his own feelings before everyone else's. His memory drifted off to that time he was sitting in his own room on the phone with Nancy, who was in Germany.

 _It's…good to see you two back together._

The bitter and foul taste in his mouth after those words had been unbearable. And more recently, when he feared for her life while she was in Colorado, he'd almost told her he loved her. One couldn't imagine the relief he'd felt after the voicemail cut him off too soon. It was too bold of him to do such a thing to her.

Frank's eye landed on a doll sitting in a chair next to the bed. It had been the one from Egypt, bought during their time as a married couple. Frank had been able to replace the doll after their adventure. He grabbed the doll from the chair and put it into his backpack, along with the mask and photo. In addition, Frank grabbed a change of clothes for her.

He looked back over at the photo of Ned and hesitated. Frank knew this could be a chance to change everything. He was going to be the prime caretaker for Nancy. He ultimately had the power to decide what she would remember and what she wouldn't. He could change everything…

He gave a heavy sigh and grabbed the photo of Ned. It was unfair to Nancy for Frank to pick and choose pieces of her life. In addition, he also grabbed the scrapbook from Nancy's desk involving all of her past cases. Knowing she liked to read, Frank grabbed a book or two from the bookcase outside her room and started to head down the stairs with his backpack full of trinkets.

As he reached for the front door, his cell phone rang. Frank reached into his pocket for the device. "Hello?"

"Frank! Did you make it in okay? You must be exhausted from the red-eye flight last night," the bubbly voice asked. There was no mistaking that voice.

"Yeah Bess, I'm alright. Just a little tired. How're you holding up?"

"Oh, I'm okay. I got to see her yesterday. She's really out of it. She's not the Nancy you remember. She seems sad, and broken. It's so depressing to see her this way. I just hope that you can maybe help her more than George and I could."

"George was there too? Carson said Nancy was having a hard time with it."

"Yeah, Nancy is. You can tell she's just upset. She's frustrated that she can't remember anything, and sad that all of her memories have vanished. I think she just needs some of that Hardy charm to get her smiling again," Bess teased. Frank gave a low chuckle.

"Well, I'll see what I can do. Carson asked me to grab some stuff from the house to help Nancy remember who she is. Maybe next time you visit her, you could bring pictures or knick-knacks?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a great idea! Maybe George and I can make that cake she made over at Shadow Ranch that she liked. I bet the food at the hospital is less than satisfactory," Bess joked.

"That sounds perfect, Bess. Did they have any idea of when she'd be released to come home?" Frank asked as he leaned on the staircase. He was get fidgety in his rush to see Nancy.

"Not yet. I think they're waiting to see how she does with you. She's been asking about you, Frank." Frank felt his heart jump into his throat.

"She's been asking about me? What about me? What kind of questions?"

"Whoa, okay, slow down Hardy. I can see your feelings toward Nancy haven't changed." _Did everyone know about that now?_ "She's just been asking when you were coming. I think it's a little bit of that old Nancy spirit. She knows you're her next clue and she's eager to investigate."

"Well I'm about to head over now to see her. I'll have to call my cab first, so I've gotta go."

"Oh, don't bother! The cab service here is awful. Take Nancy's car. Carson must've forgotten to tell you. She keeps her keys by the front door on the coatrack." Frank looked to his left to see the keys hanging next to him.

"Sounds even better than a cab. I'll check in with you later, okay?"

"Okay. And Frank? Go easy on her. Make sure you keep her calm. The nurses already know how eager she is to get away from the hospital. Don't rush her."

"Of course. Thanks, Bess."

"Anytime, Frank. Bye." Frank hung up his phone and grabbed Nancy's keys. He stepped out into the sunlight and locked the front door behind him. He hung the spare house key on his house car keys and walked over to Nancy's prized blue roadster sitting in the driveway.

He'd always had dreams of driving this car with Nancy by his side. The wind blowing in her hair and that smile upon her face, it all seemed so perfect- too perfect to be real. Frank got into the driver's seat and started the car up. He dug through his pockets until he found a slip of paper with an address on it. He punched the numbers into his phone and started up the car. He gave a heavy sigh and looked at his bag sitting next to him in the front seat. He looked down at his left hand, where a gold band still occupied his ring finger as it had over a year ago.

As he pulled away from the driveway, he wondered what had happened to Nancy's ring. Had she thrown it away? Judging by her packrat habits, he imagined it was tucked away somewhere with mementos from her other cases. A little pang in his heart made him wonder if she still wore her wedding ring, too.

His thoughts centered on Nancy and Nancy alone. The thirty-minute drive to the hospital felt like a week. He missed every stoplight and seemed to catch every second of traffic from the streets of River Heights.

Frank's stomach began to churn. What if Nancy hated him? Would she blame him, since his name was the only thing she remembered? What if Nancy had only asked for him to send him away?

Frank shook his head. He hoped their friendship meant more than just that.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, here's a little clarification: Frank is NOT married to Nancy. He treasures the wedding ring from Egypt since it reminds him of their time spent in Egypt, since ideally it would be what he'd want in his future.

I can understand if that was confusing for anyone who hasn't read Secrets of the Nile. If you haven't, it's AMAZING. It's basically cannon Frank/Nancy fanfiction.

* * *

Frank parked the prized blue roadster and approached the hospital doors. The waiting room was all too familiar for him. It smelt like sorrow and felt like the entire room was a melancholy world of its own. He stepped up to the front desk and gave as best of a smile as he could. "Hi, my name is Frank Hardy. I was called last night about Nancy Drew…? She might still be listed as Jane Doe."

"Say no more," the receptionist said. "She's in room 618. Dr. Nightguard is there waiting for you," she said. Frank nodded and headed off towards the elevators. He stepped in and pressed the sixth floor button. Just as the doors began to close, a man came dashing towards the elevator. Frank threw his arm out to hold the door.

"Thank you," he replied as he stepped in with a bouquet of flowers.

"What floor?"

"Five, thank you." Frank pressed the seventh floor button and the doors closed.

"The flowers are beautiful. May I ask who you're here to see?" Frank asked the man, trying to calm his own nerves.

"My wife. She's been so ill, and today the doctors are going to announce that she's overcome her disease finally and can come home. I thought flowers only to be fitting," the man said with a smile. Frank smiled in return.

"How wonderful. Congratulations."

"Thank you. Are you here to see your wife too?" the man asked and nodded to the wedding ring on Frank's finger.

"Oh…" he hesitated for a minute, "it's a little complicated. It's been a long time since I've seen her. She is suffering from amnesia. Today is day one," Frank sighed. The man set a hand on Frank's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm sure everything will be okay. Your love is more powerful than you know," the man reassured Frank.

"Thank you." The doors to floor five opened.

"Best of luck. Keep your chin up; she needs you," the man said before stepping out. Frank leaned back against the elevator wall and sighed. He looked down at the ring and back up to the doors now closing.

Yes, it would be wonderful to call Nancy his wife and bring her home as such, but he needed to focus- for Nancy. She needed levelheaded Frank, not lovesick Frank. He stepped out onto the sixth floor and followed the signs to room 618. There were two chairs and a table sitting across from the room. An older doctor with glasses and salt and pepper hair occupied one chair. "Dr. Nightguard?" The doctor looked up at Frank.

"Oh, please tell me your name is Frank Hardy?"

"It is," Frank said with a nod and a smile. He extended his right hand out to the doctor. Dr. Nightguard met him halfway and shook his hand. "It's a pleasure."

"No, the pleasure is all mine, son. What a relief that you've made it out here. Come, let's talk down the hall before you see her," Dr. Nightguard said as he lead Frank away from the door that had the number 618 and Nancy's name next to it. Frank looked back at it as Dr. Nightguard whisked him down the hall.

The doctor opened a door and gestured for Frank to enter the room. It was a small office, with a nice desk and some papers scattered about. Certificates and awards hung along the walls, as well as a few family portraits. Frank took a seat in the chair in front of the desk and Dr. Nightguard sat behind the desk after closing the door. "Now, what exactly is your relationship to Miss Drew?" Frank hesitated for a long while.

"I guess you could call us best friends. We've saved each other from near death experiences before, so we're really close. I've known Nancy for as long as I can remember."

"How wonderful. We're so pleased to have you out here. Now, I know that her father, best friend, and cousin have all visited before you arrived, but Nancy has had no memory of them. She seems to be down since she knows she is missing pieces of her memory. Now, your job here is to just be her guide through this process. Bring photos from home, cherished belongings, or anything else that means a lot to her.

"However, you have to remember: Nancy isn't going to just instantly remember everything. This is going to take a good while for her brain to readjust. Be slow with her, and take your time. I know that might be a challenge, since I know of Nancy's fiery passion and determination to get things done, but just remind her that her brain needs to take things slow. Hopefully she'll listen to you a little more than the rest of us.

"She's also often getting migraines or nausea from her trauma. At this time, we're unsure of what happened. The police already tried to get a lead out of her, but she can't remember anything about her current case. They found her in an alley, bloodied and beaten. She currently has a broken rib and a sprained ankle, so she's also dealing with the pain from those injuries. Try to avoid talking about that case until we know more about what Miss Drew was involved in."

"Of course. Whatever you need, Dr. Nightguard. Whatever Nancy needs." The doctor smiled. "Do you have any idea of when she might come home?"

"Well, we're not sure as of right now. Might be a couple days, might be a couple weeks. We'd like to see how she interacts with you first before we make that call.

"Oh, and one more thing. When she was brought in, she was badly hurt. We decided to take some samples for a rape kit, just in case anything came back positive. We don't think she was raped, but we want to be fully prepared for whatever is out there. We don't have the results yet, but if you could just keep this between us for now, that would be for the best."

"Of course." Frank felt a massive knot in his stomach. He had been so focused on Nancy this entire time, and Bess and Carson hadn't even mentioned how seriously she'd been beat. If she had been raped, whoever went after her would suffer Frank's wrath. "Whatever Nancy needs, I'm here for her."

"That's the spirit. I had a good feeling you'd be massively beneficial to Nancy. I've been reading up on you, you know. You and Nancy and your brother have solved dozens of cases together. You seem to be quite the team. You must care for her very much."

"I do," Frank answered honestly. "But one more question. Nancy hasn't mentioned anyone named Ned, has she?" Dr. Nightguard thought for a minute.

"No, I haven't heard her say anything about anyone named Ned. Is he a brother or a close friend?" Frank chuckled.

"No, he's her boyfriend. I was surprised to hear that he hasn't come to see Nancy yet."

"Nancy's friend Bess had no mention of Ned either. Maybe he's out of town or away on family business?" Dr. Nightguard questioned.

"No, he loves Nancy. He'd drop everything for her. Maybe no one has contacted him yet," Frank wondered. Dr. Nightguard stood.

"Well, be that as it may, Nancy needs you right now. She's lost in her own world. We need you to be the light to guide her back to who she is. Now, she's certainly eager to see you. Would you like to see her now?"

"Yes please," Frank nodded eagerly and stood. The sudden feeling of the ring on his finger made him feel weightless. "I'd love to see her."

The two walked down the hall again to room 618. "This is her room. Please, feel free to spend as much time with her as you'd like, provided she doesn't mind your company- I have a good feeling she won't. You're welcome to stop by any time between 9 am and 7 pm, as long as she's not in treatment or resting from her injuries. It was a pleasure meeting you, Frank, and I look forward to working with you in order to bring the Nancy you care about back to life." Frank reached out and shook Dr. Nightguard's hand.

"Likewise. Please let me know of anything extra I can do to help." The doctor nodded and turned to head back to his office. Frank turned and faced the door between him and Nancy. As he reached for the knob, his heart leapt into his throat.

With a deep breath, Frank pushed the door open.


	4. Chapter 4

Just got done rereading Secrets of the Nile. Consider me re-motivated.

* * *

As Frank stepped into the hospital room, a warm feeling began to take over. There was a whiteboard on one wall with Nancy's name, age, and a few other details written in Nancy's handwriting on display. In another corner, there was a chair by a small window. A table sat next to the bed, which was currently occupied by a beautiful redheaded woman. She turned and smiled at Frank. "Nancy…" he breathed out. It felt like a thousand bricks had suddenly been lifted from his shoulders.

Nancy chuckled and watched as he stood in awe of her. Despite having multiple cuts and bruises, her blue eyes remained sparkling and her red hair still fiery. Her right foot was wrapped up in a bandage. She was leaning comfortably back against the bed in a cheap hospital gown. "I mean, Nancy Drew. It's been a long while." Frank stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "Do you remember me? I'm Frank, Frank H-"

"Frank Hardy. I know," she answered and smiled. "Come on over," she gestured and scooted over on her bed. "I have a lot to ask you."

"That's what Dr. Nightguard said. How're you feeling?" Frank asked as he stepped closer. It all felt like a dream.

"Well, I can't remember anything, my right ankle is sprained, and my rib is broken. I guess I could be better," she joked lightly. Frank chuckled.

"Oh, I brought you some clothes to change into. I know you've never liked those flimsy gowns," Frank said as he dug into his backpack and pulled out a loose t-shirt and some sweatpants. "I can step outside if you'd like to change."

"No, that's okay. I might actually need your help," Nancy said lightly. It was as if she didn't want to admit she couldn't handle everything.

"Of course. I'll just turn around, and let me know if you need anything." He could hear shuffling behind him. "So, you seemed to recognize me."

"Yeah, about that," Nancy grunted as she put her shirt back on. "After my accident, all I can remember is swimming through darkness. I didn't understand where I was. But then, I heard a voice. It was trying to ask me something, trying to tell me something. I started swimming closer to it. I reached out and my hand was instantly in someone else's. When I looked up, it was you- whoa!" Frank heard a thud and turned around. Nancy had slipped off the edge of the bed and onto her butt after slipping her pants on. She groaned in pain from her rib.

"Here, let me," Frank said as he bent down and reached under her legs. "I'm gonna put my hand behind your back. Tell me if it hurts, okay?"

"Sure thing Hardy." Frank picked her up with ease and placed her back in bed. "Thanks," she said with a smile. "Anyway, you looked at me in the darkness and asked if I was okay. I didn't recognize you. You told me not to be worried, since it was just you, Frank Hardy. How did the doctors know to find you? They said my phone and wallet were missing." Frank chuckled and hesitated as he perched himself on the side of her bed.

"They said you were calling out for me in your sleep. The hospital called me yesterday. They asked me to be your support person. I hope that's okay with you."

"How far away were you when they called?"

"Bayport. That's where I live, with my brother Joe? We used to solve cases together, all three of us."

"Bess mentioned I was a detective. I wish I could remember those cases," Nancy said with a frown. Frank placed an arm around her.

"Hey, cheer up. You will, I promise. Dr. Nightguard said that your memories aren't gone, your brain just can't find a way back to the place where you keep your memories."

"Yeah, he told that to me too. I just wish I could remember everything, about my casework, about my family, my mom, my friends, and especially about us." The last comment took him aback.

"Us?"

"Yeah, you must have been really special to me for me to remember you. Will you tell me how we met?" Frank's cheeks were bright red. He chuckled and scratched the back of his neck.

"Sure. Comfy? It's a good story." Nancy snuggled into the blankets and nodded. "We were about six years old. I lived up in Bayport; you lived here, in River Heights. Our families were best friends. Your mom, she spent a lot of time in Scotland- that's a whole other story- and you guys were on your way to Scotland for a couple of weeks. Your first flight took you from River Heights to New York, where Bayport is. The second flight would take you from New York over to Scotland.

"But when you landed in New York, you found out that your second flight was canceled because of a storm in Glasgow, Scotland. My family reached out to you guys and you came and stayed with us. The flight would be delayed at least another thirty hours.

"When I met you, you were wearing a little yellow sundress and blue shoes. The colors didn't match, but you didn't care. You introduced yourself proudly as Nancy Drew and I… we were instantly friends. You, Joe, and I would play detective all evening, all night, and all morning. It was like we'd found the sister we'd never had. From that day on we kept in touch, and when your mother passed when you were ten, you threw yourself into your mysteries. It made you determined, but we grew closer from that. Ever since then, we've solved hundreds of cases together."

"Sheesh, Frank, it sure sounds like you had a real crush on me," Nancy joked. Frank swallowed a lump in his throat.

"Don't flatter yourself, Drew," he tried to joke, but it came off a little dry. "Besides, you've still got Ned."

"Ned?" Nancy's smile faded into a look of confusion. "Who's Ned?"

"Ned Nickerson, he's your boyfriend. I think he's out of town right now; otherwise I'm sure he'd come to see you. I brought a photo of him, as well as some other stuff from your room. Did you wanna see any of it?"

"Sure," Nancy replied and sat up. Frank grabbed his backpack and started digging. First he came to the photo of Ned. He sighed and set it up on the small table.

"This is a photo of Ned. You guys have been together for three years now. You're really close with him and you've loved each other for a long time," Frank trailed on as he looked at the picture. _Focus, Hardy._

"Here's another picture of your family. This is your dad, Carson Drew. I think he came by to see you this morning," Frank explained. Nancy nodded. "The woman next to your dad is Hannah Gruen. She's your housekeeper, but she's been like a maternal figure to you since your mom passed away." Frank set the photo up on the nightstand. "I grabbed a memento from our case together in Hawaii, this little tiki mask," Frank explained as he set it next to the photos, "and I found your scrapbook of cases and a few books from the shelf outside your room. I know you how much you love a good book," Frank said with a smile.

"I also brought you the doll from our trip to Egypt together- again, another long story. You named her Cleopatra. I bought you one from the market place, but that one got destroyed in the investigation. So I was able to replace the doll before we left Egypt. I found her sitting in your room." Frank's eyes drifted to her left hand. An amethyst ring sat on her middle finger. He had a very fond memory of slipping that ring onto her finger in Egypt. She did still wear it after all…

"Wow Frank, you might as well have packed up my whole house," Nancy joked. "Thank you though. Maybe being surrounded by familiar faces and objects will help a little. Not to mention all of the reading I have to do now," Nancy said as she gestured to the books. Frank nodded to the ring.

"Your ring- it's very beautiful. Do you remember anything about it?" Nancy held her left hand out and looked down at it.

"Oh, thanks. I wish I did. When I woke up, the nurse said they had temporarily removed it to bandage me all up and wash off the blood, and she asked if I wanted it tucked away with my belongings- which my dad picked up this morning- or if I wanted to wear it. I figured if I wore before the accident, I should keep wearing it. I want to still be me, and it must mean something to me if I have it on. Why do you ask? Do you remember anything about it? You seem to know a lot about me," Nancy questioned. Frank hesitated as he looked at the ring.

"I wish I did know something about it," he replied with a sad smile. "I'll ask around though. We'll figure it out," Frank reassured her. Suddenly his phone went off. Bess was calling him. "Shoot, it's Bess. I'll be right back." Frank answered the phone and stepped outside of the hospital room. "Hello?"

"How is she?" Bess asked, wasting no time in pleasantries.

"She seems alright. She remembers me, but nothing about our past. She seemed really confused when I mentioned Ned though. I even showed her a picture and she didn't remember him as her boyfriend at all."

"You did what?" Bess asked in disbelief.

"I mean, I've been wondering where he's been, too. He really should be with Nancy."

"Frank, Ned and Nancy broke up six months ago."


	5. Chapter 5

"What?" Frank replied and looked back at the now closed hospital room door. Ned and Nancy weren't together…?

"Ned and Nancy broke up six months ago. They decided it was for the best. The distance was becoming too much, and Ned just couldn't keep up with Nancy's pace. Ned tried to tame her, and he couldn't. It was a mutual split. I can't believe she never told you…" Bess trailed off. Frank sat down in the chair outside the hospital room. He placed his head in his free hand.

"Well I just told her Ned was her boyfriend. What am I supposed to do now? She trusts me," Frank asked, his eyes still lingering on the closed door.

"Frank…! Well, I guess I could come down there and try to unwind things. I'm sure you need a nap. I know you've been up all night, Hardy."

"I, guess I could take a nap on a couch out here…"

"Oh no, mister. You are going back to Nancy's house, laying down, and sleeping for at least two whole hours," Bess sternly told him.

"But Nancy…"

"Will be perfectly okay. I'm on my way over as we speak. George is at home, trying to make the cake from Shadow Ranch. You know how much of a disaster she can be sometimes." Frank gave a chuckle.

"What am I supposed to tell Nancy? I just got here," Frank asked. "I can't just bail out on her now."

"When I get down there, I'll just ask for some private time with her. There's a lot that you don't know that she needs to be reminded of."

"Like what?"

"Oh, like boy trouble. Things she won't normally tell her cru- you," Bess said as she corrected herself. There were a lot of things about Frank Nancy needed to know. Especially Egypt… "I'll be there in ten minutes. Don't tell her I'm coming. It'll make things more awkward if you do."

"Okay. I'll see you then." Frank hung up his phone and stepped back into Nancy's room. She looked up at him with a warm smile.

"Is this you?" she asked and pointed to a photo in her case scrapbook. Frank walked over and perched himself on the edge of her bed, placing one hand on the other side of her head and leaning into her. He gave out a warm chuckle.

"Yeah, that's Joe and I. The two of us were invited on a train trip with actress Lori Gerard. Her dad and my dad are best friends. We of course invited you along with us. We had to figure what happened to Jake Hurley, the man who originally owned the train."

"We stayed in a room together one night," Nancy said as she looked up at him. Frank's cheeks turned crimson red.

"You, um, fell asleep in my bed while looking over case nights. When I went to sleep on the floor- Joe was already on the couch- you denied me, asking me to stay next to you, despite the fact that you were with Ned at the time and I was with my ex-girlfriend, Callie. I was going to go back to your room, but it was locked, and your sleepy self refused me the key.

"When I woke up, you were fast asleep on my chest, and my arm was wrapped around you. It was past eight, so I nudged you lightly and you didn't wake. I slipped out of your tight grip and walked down the hall into the dining car to do some reading." That hadn't been the _entire_ story. Frank had in fact kissed her goodnight the night before and good morning the next day- both cheek kisses, both went unnoticed by the exhausted Nancy.

"I remember that. I woke up alone, with the exception of Joe's snoring," she said with a laugh.

"You remembered something from your casework? That's great, Nan! You're already on the right track," he encouraged her. She smiled brightly.

"I'm really glad you came to see me," Nancy told him. She felt like Frank was going to be her rock through all of this.

"Of course, Nan. Even though you might not remember it, you're my best friend. I'd do anything for you." A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Bess cracked the door open with a smile.

"Hey, Nancy. Frank! It's so good to see you finally," Bess said as she gave Frank a warm bear hug. He laughed and returned the tight hug.

"It's good to see you too, Bess. It's been too long."

"So Nancy, how're you feeling? I'm sure Frank has been exhausting you with his stories," Bess joked.

"Not at all. The more slightly familiar faces, the better," Nancy replied. Bess sat in the chair across from Nancy's bed.

"I'm sure Frank is exhausted. He's been up for almost thirty hours now!" Nancy looked up in concern.

"Is that true?" she questioned, with a worried look on her face. Frank rubbed the back of his neck.

"I had to catch the overnight flight into Chicago to make it to you today, so it might be," Frank said with a chuckle.

"Oh, Frank, you need your sleep," Nancy replied. "Where are you staying?"

"Your place. Your dad let me have the spare key," Frank answered. Nancy nodded.

"Well my bed is pretty comfy. Go take a nap," Nancy said with a chuckle. Frank blushed lightly.

"I think I'll be sleeping in my own bed for now, thanks," Frank replied. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay Nance? I promise I'll bring you a new book tomorrow. I'm sure you'll get through this one fast."

"Only if you promise to bring me a few new pictures, too," she replied and smiled at him. He nodded and slid off her bed. He picked up his now empty backpack and headed towards the door. "Bye, Nan."

"Bye, Frank." With hesitation, Frank opened the door, stepped into the hall, and closed the door behind him.

* * *

"Gosh, he's cuter than I remembered," Bess said after Frank left. Nancy looked back at Bess.

"He is cute. Tell me about him. Frank and I, what were we like before the accident?"

"Unstoppable- in a number of ways," Bess replied. "We need to talk love life, Nancy Drew."

"We do?" Nancy replied with a confused face.

"Yep. Specifically about yours," Bess said as she stood and sat crisscross on the edge of Nancy's bed.

"So Ned?" Nancy asked and pointed to the photo. "Frank sort of mentioned him-"

"Yeah, Ned isn't your boyfriend. Hasn't been for six months now," Bess interrupted. "Frank didn't know you guys weren't an item anymore. You didn't want to tell him."

"What happened to Ned? And I didn't tell Frank? Frank seems like he was- is, my best friend. Why wouldn't I want to tell him?" Bess hesitated and sighed. She thought long and hard before unraveling the tale that was about to be told.

"See that ring on your finger? The one with the amethyst in it?" Nancy looked down and nodded. Bess pulled out her keys and showed them to Nancy. There was a similar ring on her car keychain, but it had an emerald in it instead. "These are wedding bands. Once upon a time, before the accident, Frank would call you every few months to ask for your help on a case. And if he didn't call you, you would run right into him during a case, which happened more than you can imagine. A lot of times, I went with you on those cases, and sometimes, when I couldn't, George went with you.

"For this case in particular, Frank called asking you to come to Egypt with him- as his wife. You, Nancy Drew, had to become Frank's wife for a case, while I was to be his brother, Joe's, wife. These are the wedding rings that came from the case. You haven't taken yours off since Egypt.

"During that magical time in Egypt, you and Frank- who cares for you very deeply, acted as the perfect married couple. You held hands everywhere, you cuddled, and you just _looked_ like you were in love, mostly because you were. Nancy, you've been in love with that man for over a decade now. And I know you have because you told me you were, but Ned held you back. When you broke up with Ned, you didn't want Frank to be a rebound. You weren't ready to tell him yet, because if you told him, you knew exactly where things were going to go.

"On our last night in Egypt, you and Frank stepped out onto a patio to enjoy the cool air. He wrapped his arm around you, and you told him you didn't want to leave Egypt. You didn't want your 'marriage' to end. That's when he turned to you and-"

"He kissed me. Frank Hardy kissed me. I remember," Nancy replied as she put her head into her hands. "Bess, why is my love life so complicated? It's giving me a migraine," she moaned. Bess placed a hand on her best friend's back.

"Hey, it's all gonna be okay. You don't need to make any decisions about it or anything like that right now. You just need to focus on being you, Nancy Drew, the greatest detective ever," Bess giggled. Nancy perked up and smiled.

"Thanks Bess. It's just so much to take in in one day. Maybe that's why Frank stuck so much in my memory, and my heart beats faster when he's here- ugh, listen to me. Relationships are terrible."

"There's the Nancy Drew I know and love," Bess replied.

"Will you… tell me more about Frank and I? In small doses, please. It's making me feel a little more like me, but giving me a headache at the same time."

"Well how about this: Let's get you some of those pain killers that the doctor prescribed and they'll make you drowsy. I'll just talk about everything I know about you and Frank until you fall asleep, okay?"

"Sure," Nancy replied with a nod.

* * *

Frank stepped right past the guest room and into Nancy's room. He needed to feel her surrounding him again. Everything had hit him like a ton of bricks.

Nancy was single. Frank was single. He finally had a shot at her. But she needed him now- friendship Frank, not romantic Frank, more than ever.

He collapsed back onto her bed and sighed. He stared up at the ceiling and tried to remember how many times he'd thought about him and Nancy being tucked into this bed together- sometimes just cuddling, sometimes a lot more. After twenty, he lost count.

As he tried to count the number of marks on the ceiling from the years of wear and tear, Frank found himself falling into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

"…so then, I of course called you, because George and I couldn't decide which Hardy brother would be better to date, and we knew our question was way more important than any mystery on a train." Nancy nodded sleepily. Her eyes were closed and Cleopatra was tucked under her arm, cozy under all of the blankets. "And we asked you, would you pick Frank or Joe? Without hesitation, you replied, 'I'd pick Frank'. Even though you were with Ned!"

That story was the last that Nancy could hear Bess tell before she fell into sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Frank awoke in confusion. He didn't remember where he was or what he was doing there. He looked around the room he was laying in. After a few seconds, he remembered it was Nancy's room. He looked over his shoulder at the other half of the bed- empty. Then he remembered where Nancy was. Frank looked over at the clock to his left. The time read 8:00 pm- much too late to go see Nancy again.

He shifted out of bed and onto his feet with a yawn and a stretch. There was no noise from downstairs, meaning Carson still wasn't home from his office. Frank looked at his phone. Two new text messages were waiting to be read. The first was from Joe, asking him to call when he got a chance. The next was from Bess, saying that Nancy was going to be okay after the whole Ned mess. Frank dialed Joe's number and waited. "Hey Joe. What did you need?"

"Hey Frank! I was calling to see how Nancy was. Is she okay?" All the normal Joe humor was gone from his voice.

"Yeah, she's been better, but she's going to be alright. She's a tough cookie."

"She must be to put up with you for all this time." And _there_ was Joe's humor again.

"Don't forget, she's had to put up with you too. When are you coming down here?"

"Well I was hoping to be down there by today, but it seems that Ryan is refusing to admit he stole the purse. You know how the Bayport police are with us- they refuse to search his car or home, the lazy-bones.

"You just focus on Nancy. I'll hopefully be down in the next two or three days- that is if I can find this dumb purse."

"Hang in there, Joe. I'll talk to you later."

"Catch ya later." Frank hung up and looked around Nancy's room again. He'd promised her another book and more pictures. He stepped out into the hallway where the books were kept. Choosing another book he knew Nancy liked, he pulled it from the shelf and set it aside. Then he stepped back into Nancy's room to find some photos.

The first photo he chose was one of Bess, George, and Nancy all out at Shadow Ranch. Her hair looked beautiful in the photo compared to the white of the cowgirl hat she had on. Her plaid shirt fit her nicely as she smiled aboard her horse, Bob. Frank smiled as his thumb brushed over the picture.

No words could ever fathom how much he loved Nancy. She was the world to him. Beautiful, bright, and kindhearted, Nancy was Frank's dream girl. He only hoped that someday he could be her dream guy.

* * *

Nancy lay tucked in all of the blankets in her hospital room. She was currently reading the second book Frank had brought her. She was pretty sure she already knew who the culprit was, but her detective intuition told her to finish the book anyway. Her thoughts began to veer to Frank Hardy. She had remembered his good looks well in her mind. Her gut told her he was going to be a very great friend during all of this. But a little part of her wanted more than that.

Nancy knew this wasn't the time or place for that. Her mind knew that getting herself reacquainted with her life was priority number one. Frank seemed to view the situation the same way. She picked up her scrapbook and flipped to the case about Hawaii. She read up on her assignment again and looked at the picture of Frank and the man she assumed to be Joe. Her thumb brushed over the picture of Frank. Oh how she longed to know more about him. Her curiosity would be the death of her.

* * *

As Frank scoured the drawers of her desk for more photos, he thought about what an opportunity he'd been presented. This was his chance to snoop on Nancy with no one to catch him and an alibi if he was caught. His guilty conscience overtook his curiosity though. He shouldn't take advantage of her.

As he pulled open the next drawer, Frank heard a loud sliding noise, but the drawer only had small objects in it. He closed the drawer and opened it again, hearing the same sliding noise. He knocked on the bottom of the drawer- a hollow noise. Frank felt the drawer and noticed there was a small string near the front of the drawer. He pulled on the string and the bottom of the drawer lifted to reveal a book. This book had no title or pictures on the front. Rather, it was a green leather book with a string tied around it. Frank picked it up curiously. Upon examination, he found it was in fact a journal, not a book. Well if it was stored in Nancy's desk, it must be important. He undid the string, despite his brain telling him to stop.

As he started to flip through the pages, he recognized Nancy's handwriting on the pages. Each entry was dated and told of a different story from Nancy's life. It was Nancy's diary.

Frank decided he would bring it to Nancy tomorrow. What better way to have Nancy remember herself by reading her own words? As Frank was about to close the journal and put the string back on, he caught his name on one of the pages. He thought for a minute. He could be the nice guy and put the journal away. After all, these were Nancy's private thoughts. But his curiosity was going to eat him alive. He sat down in the desk chair and slowly flipped through the pages. The first entry was dated ten years ago, almost to the day:

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Today I met a boy named Frank. We are staying with him and his family because our flight is canceled. Frank is very nice. He is a detective too. I like him a lot. Frank said he liked my dress. He has a brother named Joe, who is also very nice. I like him too. I hope we get to see them again soon._

 _Nancy_

Frank chuckled. There was nothing cuter than nine-year-old Nancy in that little yellow sundress. He continued to flip through pages of her diary. He wanted to know Nancy better than she knew herself.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Mom passed away tonight. She is gone. The words feel foreign to me. This all feels like a bad dream. Maybe I'll wake up in the morning to the smell of her making pancakes and the sound of her saying good morning to my father. But I know it won't be true._

 _The Hardy family is coming to stay with us this weekend to help Dad out. I can't even find it in my heart to get excited to see Frank and Joe again._

 _Nancy_

Frank remembered how horrible Nancy had looked that weekend. Poor thing. She was going to have to relive all of that again once she found out about Scotland.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I went to the River Heights homecoming dance tonight with Ned Nickerson. He asked me out last week to the dance. He's a little plain, but nice altogether. I think I'd like to see him again. It's only my first year of high school, and he's two years ahead of me, but I think I really like him. I'm excited to see where this goes._

 _Nancy_

The bitter taste returned to Frank's mouth. Ned was indeed plain. He flipped through more pages.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _It's been five years since I've seen Frank. While we talk on the phone or video chat sometimes, it's just not the same. I miss him a lot. I think I miss him too much. I very much like Ned, but when I think of Frank a whole new feeling takes over. I get nervous on the phone with him sometimes. Frank told me he got braces last week. I think they would look nice on him. Maybe I'll get to see them on him sometime._

 _Nancy_

Frank groaned as Nancy mentioned his sophomore year of high school. He'd hated those braces. And he'd hated it even more when he had to show them off to Nancy that Christmas. Speaking of that Christmas, the next page he found was about that very night:

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Only three days until Christmas. I get to spend the holiday with Frank and his family this year. Ned is a little disappointed that he won't get to see me on Christmas, but I told him I'd save a New Year's Kiss for him. While I do miss him, Christmas here in New York is beautiful. Frank showed off his braces to me finally. I think they suit him well. He's going to take me out to the shops tomorrow to see all of the decorations and maybe do a little last minute shopping while Joe is going out with his new girlfriend, Vanessa. I'm very excited to go tomorrow. Any time spent with Frank is always a good memory. I'll have to tell you all about it tomorrow._

 _Nancy_

Frank felt his face heat up. He had been so nervous to go out with Nancy that day. His parents drove them out to his favorite shopping area and dropped them. They'd had the whole afternoon to themselves. He had even considered it a date.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Frank told me about his new girlfriend, Callie Shaw. While she seems very nice, something about her makes me slightly upset. I'm not sure what. She makes me uncomfortable. While I'm not Frank's girlfriend or anything near that, I can't help but feel replaced._

 _Nancy_

"Oh, Nan…" Frank mused aloud. Frank had tried so hard to move past Nancy when he met Callie. He had truly loved Callie when they had been together. But what he found next was really what he was looking for.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I just got off the phone with Frank. It had been a while since we'd talked. He offered me an assignment in Egypt- as his wife. Of course I can handle the case, but being Frank's wife? I want to see him again, so I took the assignment. I just hope I don't get too distracted._

 _Nancy_

Frank flipped ahead to the next page.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I have so much to say and such little room on the page. First, I just returned from Egypt- we caught the bomber! It was a most magical trip. I wasn't ready to come home. I wasn't ready to stop being Frank's wife. All of the handholding and smiles and the way he cared for me… and the kiss! Frank kissed me! It was so incredibly perfect, I didn't want it to end. But after the kiss, we both remembered our significant others back home- Ned here, and Callie in Bayport. We both know we can't do that to them. While I'm in love with Frank, I love Ned. I'm happy with him. Frank and I will just have to lie low for a while._

 _Nancy_

The next entry was dated only a few weeks after that.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Frank just called me. He broke up with Callie. I guess things just weren't going to work out? Frank said she needed more stability than he could offer. It's hard to consider having a wife and kids when your job is to chase down mad bombers and serial killers. Frank is pretty broken up over it. I hope I made him feel a little better. Still, there's a funny feeling in my heart that I can't quite place._

 _Nancy_

Frank flipped ahead. He found an entry dated six months prior to Nancy's accident.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Ned and I broke up. It was a mutual split; we both knew the distance would be too much too soon and my habit of picking everything up and heading out for another country on a case was getting to be too much. We both decided that while we were a great team, our lifestyles just weren't going to work together. Of course I feel sorrow, but I feel content as well._

 _I don't know how I'm going to tell Frank. I want to see Frank as more than a friend, and I do, but I don't want to rebound off of Frank. If I get to be with Frank I want it to last. I want things to mean something. I think I'll hold off telling him until I'm ready to get back into a serious relationship._

 _Nancy_

The entries passed that contained stories of cases past and Nancy's day-to-day life. Frank snapped the journal shut and gave out a long sigh. He rubbed his nose and set the journal on the top of the desk. Nancy cared for him. She cared a lot about him. Frank knew that Nancy harbored feelings for him, but their significant others had always stopped them. Now they were both single and interested in one another.

No. That absolutely couldn't happen right now. Nancy needed to get well again before Frank even began to consider the possibility of them being together.

Frank found himself exhausted as he stood from Nancy's desk and walked down the hall to his room. After getting ready for bed, he collapsed onto the mattress and instantly fell into sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry for the absence. Life took a hard hit, but I'm happy to be back

* * *

Frank rolled over the next morning slowly and gave out a groan. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock. It was almost 8:45 am, much too late for him to be sleeping in! He threw back the covers and changed out of his clothes into a fresh shirt and pants. Frank made sure to grab his bag filled with new objects for Nancy and sling it over his shoulder. He noticed that he had a text message from Joe. _I'll read that later._

Frank grabbed Nancy's car keys and headed out for the hospital. On a Saturday morning, there was hardly any traffic. The radio played in Nancy's car, but Frank couldn't hear it. He could barely factor in the cars moving around him. His heart was set on seeing Nancy again today. Today would be the day she'd learn about Egypt, about the kisses they'd shared. He wanted to storm into the hospital room and kiss her over and over again.

As Frank parked the car in the visitor parking lot of the hospital, he sighed and shook his head. He couldn't overwhelm Nancy. He had to maneuver around this subject very carefully. Frank grabbed his bag, stepped out of Nancy's prized roadster and locked the car.

The hospital doors slid open as Frank walked up to the front desk. The receptionist, whose nametag read 'Carolyn', smiled at him. "Hello sir. How can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm here to see Nancy Drew? She's patient number 1403, in room 618."

"Just a minute," the receptionist replied. As she typed some things into a computer, Frank checked his cellphone. He opened the text from Joe.

 _Case closed. Will be in River Heights tomorrow morning. See you then._

 _-Joe_

Frank slipped his phone away as the receptionist looked up at him. "Just write your name here and take this wristband with you." She slid a visitor sticker and pen to him along with a green wristband. Frank put the wristband on and wrote his name on the sticker.

"Thanks," he said with a smile as he returned the pen. He walked off down the hall towards the elevator.

As the elevator went up to the sixth floor, Frank leaned his head back against the cool metal panels making up the walls. He gave a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. He wished the accident had never happened to his poor Nancy. Things could have been so different if she hadn't taken the case that got her into this mess…

 _The case!_

Nancy's case had been left untouched for almost a week now. Frank had completely forgotten about it since he'd been so busy with Nancy. Maybe with Joe coming down the next day, Frank could spend a little time helping finish Nancy's case.

The elevator doors opened and Frank walked quickly to room 618. He smiled as he got closer, anticipating Nancy's bright eyes and pretty smile to be looking up at him from her hospital bed. As Frank opened the door and stepped into the room, he realized that he didn't see Nancy's bright eyes or pretty smile. Instead, she was sleeping peacefully, eyes closed and lips turned up in a small grin. Frank sighed and shut the door behind him. He quietly set his bag on the ground and took a seat at the end of her bed. Frank gently pushed her hair back from her face and smiled down at her.

"Oh Nance…" he sighed as he tucked his hands into his jacket pockets. "I miss you," he quietly muttered and let his head now rest in his hands. A few minutes went by. Frank wanted to talk to her today, but he wouldn't dare wake her from such a peaceful sleep. He suddenly smiled, as he got an idea.

"Nancy? It's Frank." Frank paused. "Do you remember me? I hope you're feeling better." Another long pause. "I want to tell you about Mount Mirage," Frank began quietly. It seemed as if his low words wouldn't disturb her slumber. "Joe and I went there to help protect the people visiting the ski lodge. You see, it was this big ski lodge, where billionaires and millionaires and celebrities would come stay. When we visited, there was a music video shoot going on, and the resort owner didn't want any trouble with the shoot.

"You and George had come up for a few days to enjoy some skiing. George had gotten a small job as a ski instructor, and you tagged along to keep her company. In a small skiing incident later, George broke her arm, so Bess came up to join you both.

"When I saw you, my eyes lit up and I couldn't help but smile. Your cheeks were rosy from being in the cold, and your eyes were so full of curiosity and determination to help that I couldn't send you away. As if anyone could actually get you off the tail of a mystery," Frank joked.

"After a few days of investigating, we went up Mount Mirage to investigate a small cabin, just the two of us. I could feel that funny feeling in my stomach, the one that only comes from being with you. It never came from Callie or any of the other girls I had feelings for. Just you. It isn't a bad feeling either. I get excited, and I can't help but smile when I see you really put your mind to something.

"Anyway, we got into this little cabin, and we started digging around. Whenever we investigate together, I always have my full trust in you, and it feels more like a game than casework. I just always enjoy your company, and I feel so confident when we work together. So as we dug through this little cabin together, I was so focused on how well you work that I didn't even hear the snow coming.

"Suddenly, the cabin was surrounded in snow. A huge avalanche had come tumbling down the hill and snowed us in. We had almost no heat, since the fire was hard to start, and didn't know how many provisions we had. We both started to panic a little. No one knew we were out at this secret little cabin, a cabin that almost no one knew even existed. We didn't know how we were going to get out.

"We huddled close to the fire together, trying to keep each other warm. I wrapped my arm around your shoulders and you leaned onto my chest. A few moments of silence passed before you looked up at me. Instead of seeing your hopeful blue eyes, all I saw was fear. Fear that I had never seen in your eyes. Fear that you hid from the rest of the world, except me. Your eyes said it all.

"I thought I was going to die, Nance. You did too. We didn't think we'd ever see the outside world again. We both really saw an end. I think it occurred to each of us at the same time that we wouldn't see our significant others again. And then it really hit me. I couldn't die without knowing what your lips felt like. I leaned down and kissed you. I kissed you, and it was amazing. It was the first time I'd ever kissed you. And once I was done kissing you, I did it again. And again. And again. And you kissed me again and again and again. And then we stopped kissing and just silently sat there, letting our brains calm and finding safety in one another.

"Eventually, the cabin owner appeared through a secret passageway into the living room. While he wasn't pleased to see us hiding in the cabin, he was at least nice enough to help us escape the avalanche. He helped us get back into the main lodge.

"The minute we walked into the lodge, Ned was there. He had heard of the avalanches and got worried about you. He was so excited to see you, and the smile that spread across your face for him… it hurt Nan. It hurt so badly. But then I thought of Callie, my ex-girlfriend now, and realized you were right. Our kiss didn't mean anything because it couldn't mean anything. We had lives outside of each other. We had to chalk it up to adrenaline and the fear of death.

"That was more than three years ago Nan, and to be honest, that kiss meant everything to me. I didn't chalk it up to adrenaline or certain death. I had- have, feelings for you, and they've only gotten stronger. Nance, I wish I could rewind time to that day at Mount Mirage, and convince you that the kiss wasn't meaningless. I could convince you that you forced yourself to get excited to see Ned to convince yourself that the person you were being was really you. I could convince you that things should have changed that day. I could stop this accident…" Frank gave a heavy sigh. He looked down at his watch. The time was now 11:30 am.

"Well, it's getting close to noon, and I'm sure you can only imagine how busy the cafeteria here gets around lunchtime. I haven't eaten yet, so I think I'm going to go downstairs, grab some lunch, and check in with Joe. He's coming out tomorrow to see you. Maybe you remember him too? Hopefully when I come back you'll be awake. I'd hate to disturb you from your much needed sleep, but I really want to talk to you today." Frank reach down and placed a feather light kiss on her cheek. "I'll talk to you in a bit, Nance," Frank said as he grabbed his wallet and shifted off of Nancy's bed. He headed out the door for the cafeteria.

As the door to Nancy's room closed, Nancy counted to ten and peeked her right eye open. Frank was gone. She shifted slightly and smiled, fighting to keep her blush-covered cheeks hidden.

She'd make sure to be fully awake for Frank's return.


	8. Chapter 8

Frank stood in the growing line of people patiently waiting for cheap hospital cafeteria food. He looked across today's menu and decided to play it safe with a sandwich and some apple slices. How could a cafeteria mess up that?

Turns out they could severely mess it up. Frank's apple slices were mushy and the bread was on the stale side. He sighed and tried to force the food down his throat as he dialed Joe's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey little brother," Frank began, "when are you getting in to River Heights?"

"Hopefully around 10:30 tomorrow morning. The flight I'm on is pretty booked; I just hope they didn't overbook. I'll just have to put the trademark Hardy charm in case they try to kick me off that flight! How's Nancy doing?"

"She's okay. Did you know that her and Ned broke up six months ago?"

Joe's tone changed instantly. "Frank..."

"What?"

"You know this is not the time or place for that. Do I need to have you read my poem again?" Frank couldn't tell if the horrid taste in his mouth was from the food he was trying to eat or the memory of reading that awful poem to Nancy while she was in Germany.

"I know, Joe. I can control myself. How did you get Ryan to turn over the purse?" Joe seemed to let the subject change slide.

"Well, when a kid is picking on you at school, and you tell them to stop but they don't, who do you go to then?"

"The kid's parents," Frank replied with a swallow of a mushy apple slice. "You went to Ryan's parents?"

"Better. I went to the coach of Bayport High's esteemed football team. Told the coach that his quarterback could be in legal trouble. I think it scared him enough to give up the purse, which had been stolen on a dare from his football buddies."

"Good thinking. I never did like that guy," Frank replied.

"It's just because Callie picked him over you," Joe teased.

"Oh, no it's not. I could care less about that," Frank answered. "Look, just get down here safe and call me when you get in, okay?"

"Will do. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Joe exclaimed before hanging up. Frank sighed and slipped his phone into his pocket. He gave up on eating lunch and dumped the leftovers into a nearby trashcan. Frank gathered his bag and walked into the hallway to see if Nancy was awake.

* * *

Nancy groaned as she looked at the board in front of her. She'd remembered her age, full name, phone number, and height, but she could not recall the details of her parent's names, address, birthday, or birthplace. She groaned again as she rubbed her head. Being on her feet felt nice, but she was getting a headache from pushing herself to remember such basic details about herself. "Frank can do it, so why can't I? He remembers everything about me..." Nancy mused.

Perhaps Frank would tell her about her birthday when he came back from lunch. Her thoughts shifted to Mount Mirage. She remembered a lot about their time in the cabin, including some small details that Frank hadn't mentioned. She had definitely remembered that first kiss they'd shared, and all of the ones after that. That time in the cabin had been quite incredible... but when she came back to the lodge and Ned was waiting, Nancy knew she wasn't ready. She had always believed that Ned knew exactly what had happened in that cabin, but was too afraid to say it out loud. Talking about the situation made it real, which terrified all of them. Dreaming about it kept it exactly as it was- a magical dreamlike memory.

The door creaked open slowly after a light knock. In stepped the object of her fascinations. "Hi Frank," Nancy started with a smile.

"Nancy. It's good to see you again," Frank started, "and on your feet, too."

"I'll have to admit, I missed standing," Nancy joked. Frank set his bag down by Nancy's bed and walked over to her.

"Do you need anything? Water? Food? I can bring you a change of clothes next time I see you," Frank doted on her. "Maybe a chair to sit down in? Isn't your foot hurting by now?"

Nancy shook her head. "No, I'm okay. I got it," Nancy replied with a smile. Frank grinned in reply.

"There's my hardheaded detective. So, what are we working on here?" Frank asked as he turned to the whiteboard. Nancy quickly explained her predicament. "Maybe I have something that could help," he replied and walked over to his backpack. Frank grabbed Nancy's diary and handed it over to her. "I found this hidden in your desk. It's in your handwriting."

"Wow Frank. Do you steal all of my stuff in your free time?" Frank felt his cheeks get warmer.

"Nah, just the stuff I'm interested in." Nancy chuckled and began to flip through the pages.

"Wow, this really dates back," Nancy said as she flipped through the pages. "This is perfect, Frank. Thank you," Nancy said as she looked up with a smile. "I can't wait to read all about myself," she said with a chuckle. Frank laughed in reply.

Nancy's face soon fell serious. "Frank... I would really love to hear about Egypt. From you," she concluded. Frank's face lost the playful smirk. "Bess sort of told me what happened, but I would really like to hear the story from you."

"Oh, I don't know if that's a good idea yet."

"Please Frank? It would mean a lot to me. Bess can only tell me so much since she wasn't there for every moment."

Frank gave a heavy sigh. "Well, alright. It was definitely a dangerous case. Our assignment was to-"

"No. Us. I want to know about us from Egypt. Please Frank. I hate not remembering why I feel certain ways or why my heart hurts when I look at the ring on my finger. And I know it's tough to talk about because I already feel the tension between us now just thinking about Egypt but I have to know. You can't keep my own memories from me."

"Nance, please listen. I'm not ready to tell you about Egypt. It's for your own good. You're not ready to hear about it."

"Frank! You can't keep myself from me!"

"Nan, listen to me! I'm afraid of telling you about Egypt because I'm afraid of what might happen if I do! I want you to be you! I want you to act based on all of your memories and not just a few about me! I don't want to rush you into something that you're not ready for."

"You and I both know that's not fair," Nancy started. "And you and I both know that you read my diary. And you and I both know you're in that diary, that your name is penned in my hand and in more than a friendly way. I may not remember some things, but I can't forget the way I feel. You can't forget your feelings, or where your heart lies." Frank sat down on the edge of the bed and let his head rest in his hands. "I know I'm still me deep down. And I know it's a bad idea to get tangled up in anything serious right now. But when have we ever avoided danger?" Frank gave a chuckle.

"That is a fair point."

"Frank. Help me rediscover myself. But don't stop me from finding myself. Maybe while I'm figuring me out, we can figure us out too," Nancy started with a small smile. "We don't need to put a label on anything. I know we're both analytical, and I know we need to solve every puzzle we've ever been presented with. But maybe we could take this one slow." Frank was quiet for a long time. Then he scooted aside on the edge of Nancy's bed and patted the space next to him. Nancy slowly stumbled to the bed with her crutches and sat down next to him.

"We were both seeing other people. I was with Callie, and you were happy with Ned. We had to go undercover as a married couple. I asked in several ways if you were comfortable with it, and every time you said yes. You always said yes, Nan.

"A lot of things happen in Egypt that pushed the way I felt about you. There was a point during the case where you got hurt. You had earned yourself a concussion and a place in the infirmary. I sat by your bedside for hours, Nance. I couldn't leave. I sat there and held your hand and kept watch over you because God I couldn't bring myself to leave your side. I was there when you woke up, and I slept in the chair beside your bed while you slept." Nancy's hand slowly crept into Frank's hand. She grasped his fingers tightly between her own.

"We had almost kissed in the back of a taxi cab, but the cab stopped and jolted us back before my lips could touch yours. I remember how red your cheeks were. You were blushing so incredibly hard, but you looked so beautiful." Nancy smiled and felt a cold metal piece on Frank's hand. She looked down to see a gold band on his ring finger. Frank watched her connect the dots in her brain.

"Yeah, I still wear my ring too. I can't imagine not wearing it. Ever since Egypt, I've worn it because it feels like you're there with me, through every case and every difficult decision I've made. That night on the balcony, the last night in Egypt, I never regretted kissing you. Not once, not ever. My only regret was not arguing my feelings better."

"We both picked our significant others instead of each other," Nancy concluded. "I remember. It was the wrong decision, wasn't it?" Frank let go of her hand and let his own hands cup the back of her head.

"I don't think the decision mattered. We ended up here anyway. If we'd changed our decision, this would've happened a year earlier. And I know you don't believe in fate, and neither do I, but God Nance-"

"Please stop talking and kiss me," Nancy begged.

Frank didn't deny her request.


	9. Chapter 9

Joe stepped off of the private plane and onto the tarmac at the small River Heights airport. "Alright Joe, be careful! Tell Nancy we're wishing her the best!"

"Thanks Mr. Morton! Tell Chet I say hello!" Joe yelled as Chet's dad stepped back into his plane and prepared to take off. Joe grabbed his bag and began walking toward the front of the airport, where Bess had offered him a ride since Frank hadn't picked up his cellphone in over an hour.

While on the phone with his best friend Chet, Joe had been lucky enough to discover that Chet's dad was a recreational pilot. When Chet heard of what was going on with Nancy, he immediately got his dad to agree to fly Joe out to River Heights himself. While Chet didn't know Nancy personally, he knew how close the three detectives were and knew how badly Joe wanted to see Nancy.

As if on cue, Joe's phone rang. "Hello?"

"Excuse me, Mr. City Boy, but this Small Town Girl is wasting gas while waiting for you in the parking lot." Joe had to laugh. There was something about Bess that had always kept him… alive. There was always going to be a small spark between them, he just knew it.

"Maybe you should turn the car off," Joe teased.

"And turn the air conditioning off, effectively sweating my make-up off? In your dreams, Hardy."

"Such a beautiful blonde like you shouldn't need to wear so much make-up," Joe replied.

"Oh, you and that Hardy charm." Joe hung up the phone as he approached her yellow car. He popped the trunk open and threw his bags in before climbing into the car beside her.

"Oh, hello gorgeous," Joe teased. Bess blushed and shoved Joe lightly.

"Is this why you called me out here to get you? So you could flirt up a storm?"

"Yep. It definitely had nothing to do with the fact that Frank hasn't picked up his phone in over an hour," Joe replied as they pulled away from the parking lot. Bess' face grew somber.

"Frank isn't answering his phone?"

"No, he isn't. I figured he was busy with Nancy." As the words tumbled from Joe's mouth, he realized the weight they carried. "Bess. Frank just found out about Nancy being single, right?"

"I think we're living in the same fear here, Joe." With that, Bess sped off for the hospital.

* * *

Frank continued to pace the room as Nancy sat on the bed, trying to calm him down. "Nancy, again, I am so sorry-"

"Frank, again, you don't have to apologize. I enjoyed the kiss," Nancy protested.

"I've completely overstepped my boundaries. I'm supposed to be helping you-"

"Which you are!" Nancy interjected.

"But instead I manipulated your memories into something they're not. I built you how I wanted you to feel!"

"Frank, please calm down. I want to talk about this. We can't brush this kiss off." Nancy reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. "Please." Frank sighed and sat next to her on her bed where he had been sitting moments ago. "Are all of the stories you told me true? About how you feel and what we did together?"

"Yes. I meant every word."

"Then we knew the two of us would get here someday. Did we imagine it like this, with me in a hospital and you trying to tether me back to reality? No, we probably didn't. But it's happening. And if there's one thing we both know how to do, it's improvise. I'm not looking for a label. Let's just get through this mess together. Once we're out of the woods, let's label us whatever we want to label us, okay?" Frank took a deep breath.

"Okay, Nance. Your calmness always amazes me," Frank joked. "What would you like to talk about?"

"My mom," Nancy begged. Frank tensed again. "I know it's a harsh subject. Since she hasn't been here to visit me, and no one has mentioned her, I'm assuming she's not in my life anymore. I want to know why." Frank opened his mouth to protest, but Nancy stopped him. "You can't keep things from me. You have to help me, remember?"

"I know. I'm just worried about you. You always hated how much I worried about you," Frank said with a light chuckle. "It's a heavy story, and I feel like I've already put you through a lot today. Are you sure you're ready?"

"Yes, please."

"Alright," Frank sighed. He started to slide off of the bed to give Nancy some space, but she stopped him.

"Stay up here with me. We've shared a bed before," she asked. Frank swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Okay." Frank sat across from her. To him, she looked young again. Her blue eyes were wide and eagerly awaited his stories. She was bundled up in blankets and laid back against the pillows. "It would take me years to really tell the story of your mother, just based on what you've told me and the little I remember about her. Her name was Katherine Austin, and Kate Drew after she married your father. Her hair was the same reddish color yours is, and she had the same grace that you do. She also had the same determination, too, and the same desire to help people. She was a lot like you.

"Your mother loved to solve puzzles, maybe even more than you do. When she was studying in college, she studied abroad a semester in Glasgow, Scotland. She fell in love with the city and wound up staying. Kate also befriended Moira in college, despite Moira hating her guts. She finished college in Scotland and became a journalist for the _Glasgow Standard._ She even got Moira a job there, and the two became best friends.

"Kate was an incredible journalist. She could handle vast amounts of information at one time. This caught the interest of an organization named Cathedral, a division of MI5. They offered her an interview, claiming to be a magazine brand. Your mom didn't fall for it and instantly noticed all of the hidden cameras and microphones. Cathedral hired her immediately, along with Moira and her husband, Michael."

"My mom was a spy?" Nancy asked in disbelief.

"Yes she was, Nan. An incredible one. You found this all out just two years ago, when a mysterious letter came for you. It was from Cathedral, stating that the operation your mother stopped was starting up again, and only you could stop it. You left for Scotland without saying a word to anyone, even your dad.

"But once you got there, things only went downhill. You reconnected with Moira, whose husband had died in the line of duty for Cathedral. She confessed that she had called Kate back into Cathedral after she'd left the spy world behind. Kate wanted to be a wife and a mother, and she couldn't do that in Scotland. But Moira had lured her back in by promising her round the clock protection- something Moira didn't have. Kate went, despite Carson begging her not to go. On July 14th, 2005, Kate stopped the Colony operation, a massive biochemical attack on Glasgow, but she paid with her life. Your mother saved thousands of people.

"When you came home from Scotland, you showed up on my doorstep at two in the morning. I didn't care. I was glad to see you. You stayed the night with me and told me everything about your mom. I think you just needed to get everything off your chest. You told me you weren't ready to talk to your dad yet. The next day, I drove you back to River Heights and sat with you and Ned and your family as you talked about your mom.

"You admitted that in the end of your trip, you found out that you had been lured there in order to get you to find the formula to create the biochemical bomb. You, of course, stopped the bomb and brought the rogue agent in. You told me all about the people you'd met, like Alec and Zoe, and how they'd helped you stop the bombs. You did a lot of good, Nance. I'm sure your mom would have been very proud."

"Thanks," Nancy said. "I wish I could remember all of that trip. I remember bits and pieces of it."

"Don't stress yourself out. You'll remember everything," Frank reassured. Nancy sighed in frustration.

"When? How much longer do I have to wait in the dark?"

"I'm not sure, Nance. But it's only been two days since we started. Don't rush yourself. I'm going to be here as long as you need me here, along with Bess and George and Joe, okay?" he said. Nancy nodded and sullenly looked down. Frank slid off of the bed and stood in front of Nancy. He tipped her chin up and gently kissed her lips. He felt Nancy's body relax as she let him kiss her. A knock at the door startled the detectives. Frank stepped back from Nancy and sat down in the chair by her bed as the door opened.

"Hope we're not interrupting!" Joe yelled before he burst into the room. Bess was right behind him. Joe strolled over to Nancy. "Nancy! You're looking as lovely as ever!"

"You must be Joe," Nancy laughed. "It's nice to meet you…again. Frank told me all about you."

"Well there are so many good qualities to talk about when it comes to me," Joe teased as he gave Nancy a hug. "How're you feeling?"

"Better, I suppose. Thanks for coming out to see me. I may not fully remember you, but being surrounded by friends helps," Nancy replied. There was another knock on the door as Dr. Nightguard opened the door.

"Hello everyone. Nancy, how're you feeling?"

"A little better, Dr. Nightguard. It's nice to sort of feel like me again," she said.

"I'm sure it is. Perhaps we could have a moment outside?" The two brothers and Bess stepped outside after giving a nod to Nancy. Once the door closed behind them, Dr. Nightguard's attitude fell. "I informed Frank of this when he first arrived, but when Nancy was admitted, she was in bad shape. As you can tell, she had been beaten black and blue and now has a broken rib and sprained ankle. We also took some samples for a rape kit, just to cover all of the bases." The three friends in the hallway had their moods drop instantly. "The results just came back positive. We think whoever went after Nancy raped her," Dr. Nightguard admitted. Frank felt like he was going to vomit.

"Were they able to acquire any DNA?" Joe asked, trying to get a handle on the situation before Frank lost his cool.

"No known matches in the system. Whoever went after Nancy doesn't have a record. Chief McGinnis is trying to get ahold of the case, but due to the nature of it, Chicago PD wants it. But keep in mind. False positives aren't uncommon with kits like these. Once Nancy regains her personality, then we can approach her about her injuries and the case she was working. Our priority is restoring Nancy to full memory. I just thought it was important for you three to know," Dr. Nightguard explained. Frank's face was pale white and he looked miserable. Bess swallowed the lump in her throat. Joe extended a hand to Dr. Nightguard.

"Thank you for letting us know. We'll take the best care of Nancy possible. I know my brother cares very much for her. It's almost a competition," Joe joked. The doctor smiled.

"You must be Frank's brother, Joe. It's been a pleasure to meet you. Please let me know if Nancy says anything about the case. She hasn't mentioned anything in her sessions yet."

"Sessions?" Frank croaked out.

"Yes. A psychologist meets with Nancy every morning to determine how she's progressing. It's part of the process here." Frank nodded before the doctor stepped away to his office. Joe turned to Frank and put his hands on his brother's shoulders.

"You can't tell Nancy."

"That's not fair," Frank replied. "You know how I feel."

"Everyone does, Frank. But this is what's best for Nancy," Bess replied with a concerned look. "I want revenge on the people that hurt my best friend. We can't get that unless we ease Nancy back into her case. We have to care for her."

"You're right. Revenge," Frank replied darkly. Joe stopped him immediately.

"That's not who we are. How would Nancy feel if she found out you went after the men that hurt her, completely alone? Don't hurt her with your actions. You know she'd be disappointed in you," Joe said. Frank nodded.

"I know. I'm just upset. I should have been there for her. She doesn't deserve this. She's such an incredible person and she's so beautiful and strong yet fragile-"

"Uh huh, and how many times did you kiss her?" Bess nudged teasingly. Frank's head shot up to meet Bess.

"What?"

"Dude, you didn't answer your phone for over an hour. I know you weren't driving. You were here, with Nancy. Even if the two of you are just hanging out, you're better about phone calls than that," Joe laughed.

"I didn't kiss Nancy. That wouldn't be right," Frank snapped back, but his argument felt flawed.

"Sure you didn't. I just hope you didn't rush things," Bess teased again. Frank sighed in frustration.

"I need to go clear my head. I'll meet up with you guys later, at Nancy's house. We should tell her dad about all of this," Frank suggested. Joe and Bess's fun attitude fell on the spot.

"Okay. Be careful," Joe warned. Frank nodded as he turned away and Joe and Bess went back into Nancy's room.

"I'll be careful to make sure they never hurt her again," Frank muttered as he stormed down the hallway. He stepped into the elevator and pulled out his cellphone. The phone rang once, then twice before the person answered. "Chief McGinnis? Yeah, it's Frank Hardy. I've got a favor to ask."


	10. Chapter 10

Joe and Bess stepped back into Nancy's room and shut the door. Nancy smiled as they walked back over to her. "Where's Frank?" she asked, the disappointment clear in her voice.

"He's still talking to your doctor, but he's heading back to your house to talk to your father. You dad said he's really sorry he couldn't be here. He's wrapped up in a multiday trial. He misses you," Joe explained.

"I miss him too. He's a lawyer, right?" Nancy asked.

"Yeah. I can already tell it's you again, Nance," Bess joked. "It's good to see you again."

"Thanks. I still feel a little out of it. I feel like I understand my detective past pretty well, but what about me outside of detective work? Do I have any hobbies or anything?" Nancy asked with a shrug.

"If talking about Frank counts as a hobby, then yeah, sure," Bess joked. Nancy laughed.

"Seriously! What was I like?"

"You would volunteer a lot," Bess started. "You like being part of the community. You also used to spend a lot of time with your dog, Togo. Don't worry, he's being taken care of by George," Bess reassured her. "You also like to read a lot. I'm guessing Frank knows this too based on the amount of books he brought you."

"You also like spending time with your dad and Hannah. Hannah is your housekeeper, but she's like an aunt to you," Joe clarified.

"I remember Frank mentioning her," Nancy replied. "Do I have a job?"

"Not really. You like to jump from case to case. Some of them pay you a small fee to investigate," Joe explained. "But I know you were talking to Frank about career opportunities. You guys used to joke as kids that we'd all open a detective business some day. You, Frank and I would all work cases. George would come on to work the forensics department. Bess could be the receptionist and help with any cases related to pop culture- she is the second best at any pop culture references."

"Second best?" Bess exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm clearly the best," Joe replied cockily. Bess reached over and slugged him in the arm.

"That sounds like a realistic dream," Nancy said. "What's stopping us?"

"We're not exactly made of money. Plus we're pretty young. With you and Frank being 22, you're the oldest. Bess and I are 21, and George is 20."

"When is my birthday?" Nancy asked.

"October 9th," Bess answered. "Just a month after Frank's."

"I can't believe 22 years of my life have washed away from my memory," Nancy sighed.

"Don't worry Nance, we know you'll be you again before you know it," Joe reassured.

"They're still in that hard head of yours. We just gotta bring them out. Do you remember your tenth birthday?" Bess asked with a grin.

"No, but by the look on your face I would really like to."

* * *

Frank knocked on the chief's door. The rest of the station was too busy to notice his presence, and those that did notice him recognized him. The door swung open to reveal a large man with a thick mustache and unpleasant look. When he saw Frank, his hard gaze softened and he stepped aside to let Frank in. "How've you been, Chief?"

"Busy, Frank. How's Nancy?"

"She's been hurt bad. I'm not sure how much of the case you're familiar with-"

"I read up on what happened before the Chicago PD took the files from me. I haven't seen them since." As the chief talked, he slid Nancy's case file across the table to Frank, who slipped it into his backpack discreetly. "How is she feeling?"

"She's doing okay. You know how tough Nancy is. She just wants to be back on her feet." Frank paused for a moment. "Nancy's rape kit came back positive," Frank said lowly. The Chief swallowed the lump in his throat.

"That's horrible news. How did she take it?"

"She doesn't know yet. We decided to wait to tell her due to her memory condition. We don't want to stress her out anymore than she already has."

"I see. Well I hope she feels better soon. Please give her this note for me," Chief McGinnis said as he slid a piece of paper across the desk to Frank. Frank snatched it and stuffed it into his pocket.

"I will, sir. I'll let you know if there are any developments in her case," Frank said as he stood. Chief McGinnis stood with him and offered him his hand. Frank shook it and was about to step out of his office.

"Frank," the chief started. Frank stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Be careful," he said as his eyes drifted to Frank's bag.

"I will Chief. Thank you," Frank answered before he left the office. He stepped into the parking lot and climbed into Nancy's car. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the note that Chief McGinnis had given him. On it was written a log in and website link. Frank looked at his watch. He had at least two hours before Carson would be home. Time to do some snooping.

As Frank drove back to Nancy's home, his mind drifted. He found himself thinking fondly of other times…

 _"Cold?" Frank asked Nancy as he put his arm around her._

 _"A little," Nancy quietly admitted. She nestled closer to Frank. "You know, I'm really glad we caught Krieger and Mahfouz and found Darius and Leila, too. But I wish…" Her voice drifted off. Frank's heart skipped a beat._

 _"What?" Frank nudged her gently._

 _"I wish we didn't have to leave this place," Nancy admitted. Frank felt what she did, too- he didn't want their fantasy marriage to end. He turned to face Nancy and gazed at her longingly._

 _Frank took a sudden leap of faith and pulled Nancy to him. He kissed her gently, slowly, and with every ounce of love he held for her. Nancy pulled away after what felt like forever. "Frank… that is, what I mean is…the case is over. We don't have to pretend we're a couple anymore."_

 _"I wasn't pretending," Frank replied slowly and grasping her hand. "Were you?" Frank felt like the moment between his question and her answer lasted a lifetime._

 _"No," she answered finally. "I wasn't pretending either."_

Frank rubbed his head as he stopped at a red light. He loved Nancy more than his brain was willing to let him admit. That night in Egypt on the balcony sealed the deal for him. He knew Callie wasn't going to be the one. He knew his heart would always be Nancy's, no matter how much he told Callie he loved her.

Callie Shaw. He hadn't talked to her in almost a year. Once they parted ways, Callie's life took off and she worked in sales for some hotshot company in New York City. Callie always had been smart.

 _Not as smart as your Nancy._

Frank groaned. He parked the car in the driveway of Nancy's home and rubbed his head. He was quickly gaining a migraine. He just wanted his and Nancy's relationship to be simple, just for once. Frank grabbed his backpack from the car and headed into the house.

He set up shop in the guest room, but had a hard time focusing in there, so he moved his papers and laptop to Nancy's desk in her room. Frank flipped open Nancy's file and began to dig in.

Bernaggio Dimeer was 32 years old, divorced, and had no children. He was last seen in River Heights, near the poorer side of town. Him and his brother, Gerald Dimeer, 30, frequent a bar in the shady side of River Heights. They originally hailed from Chicago and had several charges and a long rap between them, including automobile theft, petty theft, drug possession, aggravated assault and battery, drug manufacturing and distribution, sexual harassment, and rape. Frank swallowed the hard lump in his throat at the last charge.

According to the chief's notes, Nancy had evidence that made her believe the brothers had started a drug ring in River Heights. In addition, Frank noticed that the third brother was serving time in Illinois State Penitentiary for drug manufacturing and distribution. Frank shifted in his seat uncomfortably, but his stomach dropped even more when he read the detective's name attached to the case. Fenton Hardy.

Frank used the website link and login information to hack onto the RHPD's servers. From there, he had access to Chicago's criminal records, including fingerprints, evidence, and previous cases dating over 30 years back. Frank pulled up Bernaggio's file first.

Bernaggio was first convicted of petty theft when he was sixteen years old. Frank quickly skimmed through the other charges and dates until he came across a few from New York. He wasn't overly surprised when he saw his father's name listed under some of the paperwork, but he almost dropped the glass of water he was drinking when he read the other detective's name.

Kate Drew.

Now Frank had an even bigger headache. Nancy's mother was not only a spy, but a detective too? Perhaps she grew bored of being a stay-at-home mother and needed some action. It seemed strange to him that Kate would put herself in danger when Nancy was so young. Then again, Kate could never resist a good puzzle.

Perhaps this was why Bernaggio was after Nancy. Not only was she uncovering his drug ring, but he also wanted revenge for what Kate did.

But why River Heights? Why not New York? Why didn't he go after Fenton, a detective who put him away and was still alive? Was Nancy not part of the original plan?

A knock on the doorframe startled Frank. He turned in the chair to see Carson standing in the doorway. "Frank, it's good to see you," Carson started. His eyes drifted to Frank's screen. Frank could clearly see his welcoming face shift to his concerned one. "How is she?"

"It's good to see you, too. I think we've got a lot to talk about."


	11. Chapter 11

Hello I have reappeared again! Just a filler chapter here, with more Frank and Nancy feels next chapter!

* * *

"And you certainly did not care about people glaring at that horse shirt," Bess laughed aloud as Joe chuckled along. Nancy had to laugh with her friend. Her tenth birthday really was an experience.

"Well good for me. I like me- I think," Nancy replied. "I wish I could just come home. I'm so tired of this boring hospital room. I want to come home to my yellow room," Nancy reminisced. Joe nudged her.

"Hey! You're remembering things again. You'll be home before you know it, Drew." Nancy returned his reassuring smile.

"I sure hope so. I'm really tired of looking at the crack in the ceiling trying to determine what caused it," Nancy replied. "At least the room feels a little brighter with you guys in it. And Frank as well, of course." Bess nudged her best friend.

"Oh yeah, I bet Frank does brighten your day," she joked. Nancy's cheeks turned red and her eyes widened.

"Well of course. He's like my best friend," Nancy shyly admitted.

"For now," Bess teased. Joe chuckled.

"Knowing my brother, you're not wrong," Joe said. "But in all sincerity, how have you been feeling Nance?"

"Better, I think. It seems like the more I remember, the less I forget. As soon as I remember one thing, I realize there are a dozen more things I can't remember. Every step forward is ten steps backwards," Nancy sighed. "I think what would cheer me up is maybe talking to me about how I ended up here, and about the accident. In some weird roundabout way, I think knowing how I ended up here will help me know how to get out." Joe and Bess exchanged a look.

"I'm not sure, Nance. The doctor suggested keeping your stress levels down as best as possible," Bess hesitated. "Frank mentioned that he'd already talked about your mother. Are you sure?"

"Bess, c'mon. You know me. You know I can handle it. I've investigated murders, missing persons cases, and been near death."

"Nancy, this is different. This is news about you. _You're_ the victim this time," Joe explained.

"I'm ready. I want to start the road out of here, and I need to know my roots." Joe hesitated before speaking.

"Well, we haven't read any kind of official police files, but when the ambulance did find you, you were beaten pretty black and blue. You had a broken rib and a sprained ankle when they brought you in, and you had no memory of who you were. They said that once you came to, you were asking for Frank, almost nonstop. Once Frank was able to identify you based on the nurse's description of you, the staff got ahold of your dad. He was crushed Nan, absolutely crushed. He still is. It's killing him not to be here.

"The doctors aren't sure what happened unfortunately, nor do they know much about your case." Joe stopped talking for a moment and stole a glance at Bess. She bit her lip.

"There's something you're not telling me," Nancy hummed. "Something else happened."

"Nancy, the doctors told us to wait, but I think waiting will make it worse. When you were admitted, the staff ran a lot of tests and took a lot of samples, just to cover all the bases. They, um, they ran a rape test kit as well." Nancy's face fell immediately. She felt as if she was going to vomit.

"Do… do they have the results?"

"Well…" Bess trailed off.

"Bess." Nancy sat up and grabbed her friend's shoulders. There almost appeared to be tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. "Please."

"It came back positive," Bess muttered quietly. "Nan, I'm so sorry. We're one hundred and ten percent here for you, and we are going to get through this together." Everything else Bess and Joe continued to tell Nancy fell upon deaf ears. She slumped back into her bed, her head shoved into her hands. Nancy felt her head start to spin and her stomach flipped twelve times over. She had been raped. The floor fell out from under her as she tucked herself into a ball to hide from the world.

* * *

"Tell me about Kate," Frank asked as he stood from Nancy's desk chair. "She was more than a Cathedral spy, wasn't she? She was a detective, just like Nancy," Frank concluded. Carson licked his lips slowly and tried to fix his suddenly dry throat.

"What are you digging through?"

"That doesn't matter. I know you didn't tell Nancy for a reason. I know she means everything to you. I know you want to protect her. But this links her back to the case she was on. Anything you can tell me means a lot."

"Why don't you come downstairs to the kitchen? I'll make us some coffee, then we can talk about Nancy as well," Carson said with a wry smile. Frank closed the laptop and followed Carson downstairs.

Fifteen minutes later, Frank and Carson were sitting at the kitchen table, each drinking a cup of hot coffee. The two silently exchanged looks every few seconds, each waiting for the other to speak first. Frank finally cleared his throat. "She's doing better. She misses you."

"I wish I could be there more. This case is a headache and a half," Carson joked.

"I'm not sure what they've said about her case or injuries to you, but she has a broken rib and sprained ankle. They police department also let me… borrow, Nancy's case file. If you'd like to read it, I have it upstairs."

"Since you've already learned about my late wife, I have a feeling I know what case she's involved in," Carson sighed.

"There's something else you should know. Nancy's rape kit came back positive," Frank said. Carson couldn't find his words for a moment.

"Positive?"

"Yeah. They don't have a positive ID yet, but they said it wasn't impossible. She doesn't know yet."

"It was the Dimeer brothers or one of their lackeys," Carson growled.

"Those names are in her case file. I also linked those names to Kate." Frank sat forward in his chair. "I want revenge on the people that hurt Nancy just as much as you do, Carson. I… really care about her. A lot," Frank choked out. It was the first time he was starting to break. He couldn't lie to himself; he was worried about the love of his life. It wasn't fair, none of it was. "Nancy is one of the kindest people in the world, she didn't deserve any of this," Frank breathed out. "We just got ourselves out of so many situations that I never thought things would come down to this. Our luck ran out, and it wasn't fair that she took the fall." There was a brief moment of silence between the two men.

"Frank, what I've learned in this life is that bad things happen to good people. I've heard a lot of horror stories, and maybe part of me knew this day was coming. I'm worried about Nancy, and the information you've told me of course makes me sick, but Nancy is one of the most headstrong people I've ever met. If anyone can come back from this, it's going to be her. She's brilliant, Frank, and she's tough. But she needs your support."

"She's going to need more than that. Tell me about the Dimeer brothers." Carson downed the rest of his coffee before speaking.

"Bernaggio and Gerald Dimeer began crime at age sixteen by stealing tools from a hardware store and reselling them. Once they got enough funding, they started a drug ring, the first drug ring River Heights ever saw. The community wasn't a place for drug rings. Even the darker side of River Heights didn't have drug rings native to the city. Nancy was just six years old when the ring started to develop. By the time she was eight, the drug ring was fully functioning.

"Kate loved being a mother and a wife. This home brought her joy, but only so far. Kate was meant for great things in this world, and she got stir-crazy if she wasn't involved in something exciting for too long. Once she caught wind of the drug ring, that was it. She spent all of her spare time with Chief McGinnis down at the station, as the two were really good friends. She wanted to solve that case. She wanted to dismantle that drug ring more than anything.

"Eventually, she caught a lead, one that couldn't wait until the next day. Kate always put Nancy and I first, but she couldn't rest until the puzzle was solved. She had this addiction and I loved her even more for it. She followed that lead by herself out of determination. She found the two brothers, and then some. By the time the police reached her, she was beaten pretty badly. They admitted her to the hospital immediately, where she was able to disclose enough evidence for the squad to catch the brothers, effectively putting them in prison until they ratted their way out.

"While Kate was being evaluated, they discovered something. Kate had been pregnant," Carson choked out. Frank's face fell even more. "We lost the baby because of the beating she took. Kate was so incredibly crushed. She didn't visit the station to help the police department ever again after that. The doctors didn't think she would be able to carry a child again. She stayed a housewife until she left for Scotland and never came home," Carson finished.

"Carson, I am so sorry," Frank started, but Carson put his hand up.

"It's in the past now. I just don't want to see it repeated ever again, especially not with Nancy. Frank, I know you care a lot for her, and I trust you to take care of her while I'm busy with this case." Frank opened his mouth to reply, but his cellphone interrupted him.

"Oh shoot, it's Bess. Do you mind if I take this?" Carson shook his head and sat back in his chair. Frank answered his phone. "Hey Bess, I was just-"

"Frank, you need to get down here right now," Bess said quickly.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" Carson suddenly looked alarmed.

"It's Nancy. She… we told her about the case, Frank. She begged us to. We told her about her injuries, including the potential rape. She needs you," Bess continued.

"Carson and I can be there in twenty minutes," Frank said as he stood from the table. Carson didn't hesitate and grabbed his shoes and car keys. Frank shoved his shoes on and grabbed his coat.

"See you then." Frank hung up the call as the two started heading for the door.

"What's going on?" Carson asked as they climbed into the car.

"Nancy knows about her accident, _everything_ about her accident. She's not taking it well," Frank explained as his blood boiled. Why would those two tell her? She clearly wasn't ready. And worst of all, he wasn't there to support her when she found out. He wanted to hold her close and tell her that she'd be okay, that nothing and no one would violate her again.

"Well knowing Nancy, she worked the information out of them. Sometimes that girl is too curious for her own good."

"Why would they tell her? She wasn't ready to hear it. She's got so much on her plate-"

"Frank. Take this piece of advice from me," Carson started. "Don't determine when Nancy is ready or isn't ready for something. She's a smart girl, and whatever you think is right for her, may not be. I've learned that the hard way," Carson joked. "If Nancy says she's ready, it means she wants to dive in headfirst, and nothing you can say will change her mind. That's just how Nancy is," Carson explained.

"Yeah, I understand. She's a tough cookie," Frank chuckled. His thoughts wandered to Nancy and the argument over their relationship they'd had. Maybe she was ready to try something between the two of them.

Frank decided that they needed to sort things out the minute he could get her alone and kiss her a thousand times over again.


End file.
